Oct 20 What Can PSVR Do To Stay On Top

PSVR is out and the initial launch went amazingly well. Selling out in almost every big market the PSVR is officially a thing, but thats whats scary.

Playstation as well as the other 2 big console juggernauts have a habit of release amazing technology, creating a BUZZ, but then dropping additional tech. For Playstation we can look at the PS Move, PS TV and a personal favorite, the PS Vita as peripheral failures.

So what can PSVR do to ensure its value and become an essential component from here on out in the Playstation echo system? Here are a few suggestions I think would not only keep PSVR alive, it will thrive.

UPCYCLE MARKEE GAMES

It’s sounds simple but I am no programmer. Upcyling titles that sold well would solidify the PSVR as an essential piece of hardware for any gaming experience. Lets take the recently upcycled Skyrim, finally coming out for the PS4 later this year with updated graphics and apparently some new gaming experiences. Why not go the extra mile an make it VR compatible, that way you can dragon yell all over the Elder Scrolls landscape. Destiny would be another game that would benefit from getting a PSVR update, whether you are paroling in the Cosmodrome or taking on enemies at the Forge in the Plaguelands it would be rad to hang with fellow Guardians VR style. Can you imagine if GTA went VR? Or taking down rebel scum in a Tie Fighter in EA’s Star Wars Battlefront game, the possibilities are endless.

I know what you are going to say, “What about Batman VR?” Yes Batman is VR but the gameplay is wonky at best, but at least its on Playstations radar which is promising. Seriously this one is a no brainer.

ONLINE GAMES

Playstation has done a good job in recognizing that multiplayer experience keeps the retention of any game high. Add VR! RIGS, Battlezone and Eve Valkyrie are initial launch titles that rely heavily on the online component of team competition. Time will tell how good these games are but playstation is headed in the right direction. For example, Blizzard just recently came back to consoles with a BANG releasing Overwatch, a game that is all about its online multiplayer mode. PSVR should continue with this trend and create games that solely focus on online multiplayer.

INDIE GAME GOLD

We all love the polish, hype and eventual disappointment of a triple A titles but the real magic in gaming is with these smaller publishers coming out with gaming experiences that are truly unique. Yes these games usually don’t sell as well but that doesn’t meant that Playstation shouldn’t leave these gaming houses in the dust when it comes to VR. Playstation has an obligation to support their new hardware and to do this they should support indie devs and third party publishers as much as titans in the industry. So make VR Journey and VR ABZU Giant Squid already!

MORE IMMERSIVE EXPERIENCES

Games are always fun but sometimes you want to put the controller down and just be. PSVR Worlds does this in the shark dive experience EXTREMELY WELL. Playstation should encourage this not only in the world of video games BUT hollywood & TV. Think about hit, how bad ass would it be if JJ Abrams/Bad Robot produced VR Immersive experience, Cloverfield 3?

KEEP THE HYPE GOING

PS Vita suffered from Sony not promoting/marketing this system here in the USA. The biggest mistake Playstation could do is repeat this strategy for the PSVR. Don’t. Make sure your social media team works with community managers to keep the conversation going over various platforms. Reward players in the community and let bloggers/media outlets report on all things VR.

PSVR HACKED

PSVR will be hacked eventually to do things that its not supposed to do, let it happen Sony. The PSVR headset is the cheapest on the market and once there are more units available the hacking community will find all sorts of ways to pull tricks and create experiences that Sony could have never imagined. Sony obviously can not promote this, but they can leave this subject alone.

All in all we shall see how PSVR will shape the VR experience. PSVR is here and now we must see how it unfolds.